Ambitious, bright and a powerful orator, Jesse Jackson Jr. once saw himself following in the footsteps of his father and running for president.

Instead, in a crashing end to a once promising career, Jackson followed in the footsteps of the congressman he had replaced. He resigned from Congress in disgrace on Wednesday, just weeks after he won re-election.

In a two-page letter dated Nov. 21 and tendered to U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner, Jackson acknowledged he is cooperating with a federal investigation into his “activities” and cited a continued battle with his mental health.

“He couldn’t stop crying, so he couldn’t give a press conference,” according to a source close to Jackson. “First, he is not well. He is up and down. When he’s up, he can talk but he breaks down that’s why he couldn’t conduct the press conference.”

The letter put an end to months of speculation about the congressman’s future and will offer a respite to a congressional district — which includes some of the most economically depressed parts of the state — that has gone without representation for five months.

The South Shore Democrat has been absent from his congressional post since June 10, something his family has attributed to a battle with bipolar depression. He checked into the Mayo Clinic twice and checked out of the facility most recently one week ago.

A federal investigation into alleged improprieties in Jackson’s finances was active before Jackson took that leave.

That seat would have gone Democrat if George W Bush was running for the seat as their choice.

You seem to think the people of that district, like many inner city districts have any understanding of the cycle they are in.

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Are you talking to me? Cause i know why Jessie was elected.. and it wasn't cause he was black.. it was cause he had D next to his name, hell the picture of the guy I posted.. he wasn't a republican.. he was Independent

But claiming this has to only do with Inner City Districts is silly, cause I posted a rural county republican version of it...People vote based on Party....it's been known for a while.